Bruckheimer Questions If Conservatives Have Hard Time in Hollywood

Television and film producer Jerry Bruckheimer has had four decades of success in Hollywood and says he doesn't believe it when conservatives like him say they have trouble finding work if their politics become known.

"Hollywood is about success," the man behind such films as "Top Gun," and the "Pirates of the Caribbean" series and TV shows including "CSI" and "The Amazing Race" said in an interview aired Thursday on Fox News Channel's "The Kelly File."

"It doesn't matter if you're a convict or whatever, if you're going to make them money, they're with you."

But many in the entertainment industry disagree. The group Friends of Abe is made up of conservatives in Hollywood, and most prefer to keep their membership in the group secret. Actors Kelsey Grammer, Jon Voight and Gary Sinise have admitted to belonging to the group, but they are marketable stars.

"I don't believe that," Bruckheimer said of those who claim to have been blacklisted. "I believe that if you're really talented and you're good at what you do, politics has nothing to do with it. We don't sit and argue about politics on the set or with studio executives."

Bruckheimer said the only thing his liberal friends don't like about him is that he doesn't donate to their favorite politicians.

Host Megyn Kelly noted that Bruckheimer in the past donated to Democratic California Sen. Barbara Boxer. Later, he gave to Republican President George W. Bush.

"You change your views sometimes," Bruckheimer admitted.

He said he has no animus against actor Ben Affleck, who told Playboy in a December interview, "When I watch a guy I know is a big Republican, part of me thinks, I probably wouldn't like this person if I met him."

"I like Ben a lot. … He's a good guy," Bruckheimer said, adding that he has to get along with everyone in order to make his movies. Much of his work involves cooperation with the government, and he worked with the Clinton administration when making the movie "Black Hawk Down."

Television and film producer Jerry Bruckheimer has had four decades of success in Hollywood and says he doesn't believe it when conservatives like him say they have trouble finding work if their politics become known.